Automatic ale tap and faucet



(No Mode H. D. NORTHUP AUTOMATIC ALE TAP AND FAUGET.

,059. Patented Aug. 13, 18`89.

l rhamumognvhnr. washinglnn. lic.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lvl. DAVIS NORTHUP, OF FORT EDVV'ARD, NFV YORK.

AUTOMATIC ALE TAP AND FAUCET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,059, dated August 13, 1889.

Application filed March 28, 1889. Serial No. 305,086. (No model.)

To all whom. t may concern..-

Be it known that I, H. DAVIS NORTHUP, of Fort Edward, in the countyof lVashington and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Ale Taps and Faucets; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description ot1v the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My inventionrelates to improvements in cocks and couplings for barrels, kegs, and the like; and the invention consists in 4certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view of the complete device, the plug-section, valve, dac., being shown in longitudinal section, and the screw-section or nut in elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the valve. Fig. 3 is a cross-section, taken on the plane of cc 0c, Fig. l, looking inwardly.

In the drawings, the referencedetter a indicates a plug-section externally screw-threaded to screw into the bung-hole of a barrel or keg. This plug-section, as usual,is provided with a longitudinal bore l), the outer end of which is enlarged and intern ally lscrew-threaded to receive the threaded end of the nut or screw-section c, provided with a longitudinal bore adapted to be heldin continuity with the bore of the plug. Upon its inner end the plug is provided with an externally-threaded extension, upon which acylindrical chamber d is screwed, so that its inner end will extend into the fluid inthe barrel or vessel, and the bore of the plug will open into the interior of the chamber. A valve is located in and normally closes communication between 'this chamber and bore of the plug, said valve consisting of a hollow stemc, open at its outer end and extending almost to the outer end of the bore of the plug, and near its inner end provided with a series of radial inlet-openingsf, as usual, and upon the inner end of this hollow stem within the cylindrical chamis provided with a suitable number of inlets, l

as usual.

The screw-section or nut is provided with a y pipe-section t', extending through and beyond the bore of the same, so that when itis desired to draw liquid from the vessel the end of thepipe-section extending from the threaded end of the nut is inserted in the outer end of the bore b, and the nut screwed into the internally-threaded chamber of the plug, the end of the pipe engaging the end of the valvestem and forming a tight joint between the same and gradually forcing the valve-stem in and the valve from its seat against the ten sion of the spring, until the portion of the stem having the inlet-apertures f is moved out ot the plug-bore into the cylindrical chamber, so that the uid passes from the chamber through the apertures f into and through the valvestem and pipe-section.

In order to hold the valve to its seat with sufficient pressure, a spring of considerable size and stiffness is required. Usually the diameter of the spring is nearly, if not the same, as the internal diameter of the cylindrical chamber; hence the iiuid usually passes up through the space within the center of the spring, and, as in the devices of this construction heretofore used, the end of the valve was extended and reduced, and this reduced end was embraced by the upper end of the spring, or the end of the valve is iiat and forms a square shoulder, against which the end of the spring presses. In passing to the apertures f the iiuid had to pass between the coils of the spring, which are usually close together, and through the exceedingly narrow annular space between the outer edge of the valve above the spring and theinner surface of the cylindrical chamber, whereby the passage of the iluid was not direct and clear, and

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the small spaces and narrow passages were exceedingly apt to and always did become clogged and closed by sediment, hops, &c., in the iluid; hence the object of my invention is to provide, and my present invention `consists in, apeeuliarly-constructed valve, which will avoid these objections and thereby increase the ei'l'ectiveness of the device, and iorm a direct and clear passage for the iluid to the inlet-apertures of the stein, and prevent the passages from becoming clogged or clicked, and thereby avoiding the dii'ticulty which rendered these old devices inoperative and impracticable. lVith this object in view the old and extended and reduced end of the valve is dispensed with, so that the spring bears directly against the end olf the valve, which end or face of the valve against which the spring bears is provided with one or more deep transverse grooves or channels j, extending completely across the same, (two grooves are shown in the present instance, extending at right angles to each other,) thereby forming direct radial channels from the space within the spring to the space between the valve and inner space of the chamber, and on account of the tapered form the valve and the depth of the groove or grooves longitudinal channels 7e (see Fig. 3) are also formed between the inner surface of the chamber and the valve, thereby forming direct passages to each aperture f, as the end of each groovej is located directly below or in line with an opei1i1ig 7",'l1eiice direct passages are formed from the cylindrical space within the spring laterally and then longitudinally and directly to said inlet-apertures of the valve-stem.

This present invent-ion is an improvement on the construction ef Linindolls patent, No. 311,339, issued May 4, 1886, and is the ontcome et' long practical experience with the device of this patent and with the construction of Linindolls application, Serial No. 226,519, allowed January 23, 1889.

In a combined cock and coupling, the combination of the plug having a bore, a cylindrical chamber on the inner end of the plug having indnctiorropenings, a valve consisting of the tapered valve proper in said chamber, adapted to close the outer end of; said bore and provided with the hollow stem extending into the bore and provided with inletapertures, and a coiled spring in said chainber and bearing against the end of said valve, said end face ot' the tapered valve having one or more deep transverse channels, forming lateral passages from the space within the spring, and longitudinal passages to said in let-openings of the valve-stem, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ll. DAVIS NORTIIUP.

ll'itnesses:

,lomv ENDnas, Jr., O. Il). l) UFFY. 

